In the Matter of Jennifer Metzger, Franklin Township Board of Education, Gloucester County, 10/7/21, (#221-21SEC)

221-21SEC
SEC Dkt. No. D10-21
Agency Dkt. No. 139-8/21
New Jersey Commissioner of Education
Final Decision
In the Matter of Jennifer Metzger,
Franklin Township Board of Education,
Gloucester County.
The Commissioner has reviewed the record of this matter and the decision of the
School Ethics Commission (SEC), finding that respondent violated the School Ethics Act for
failure to timely file Personal/Relative and Financial Disclosure Statements (“Disclosure
Statements”) in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:12-25, N.J.S.A. 18A:12-26, and N.J.A.C. 6A:28-
3.1. The SEC’s decision was forwarded to the Commissioner for final determination on the
recommended penalty pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:12-29(c). The SEC recommended a sanction of
removal effective upon the adoption of the decision by the Commissioner. Alternatively, if the
respondent filed the Disclosure Statements before the issuance of the Commissioner’s final
decision, the SEC recommended that respondent be suspended for 60 days.1 Respondent has
neither filed exceptions to the recommended penalty, nor instituted an appeal of the SEC’s
underlying finding of violation pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:4-1 et seq.
Upon review, the Commissioner concurs with the penalty recommended by the
SEC for respondent’s failure to timely honor an obligation placed upon school officials by law.
1 The SEC’s decision does not indicate why the alternative penalty is a 60-day suspension, when the penalty under
similar circumstances is routinely a 30-day suspension. In the absence of specific information in the record before
the Commissioner that would support an increased penalty, the Commissioner finds that the appropriate alternative
penalty is a 30-day suspension.

2
Accordingly, as of the date of this decision, respondent is hereby removed from the board for
violating the School Ethics Act.
IT IS SO ORDERED.2
ACTING COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
Date of Decision:
Date of Mailing:
2 This decision may be appealed to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:6-9.1.
Under N.J.Ct.R. 2:4-1(b), a notice of appeal must be filed with the Appellate Division within 45 days from the date
of mailing of this decision.
October 7, 2021
October 7, 2021